International: Chabal targets 2011 Rugby
World Cup; Lièvremont calls up Trinh-Duc
28 January
2009
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Hair to stay: French
hero Sébastien
Chabal
Photo: Michael Paler |
French
rugby icon Sébastien
Chabal has admitted his rugby days are numbered but has
targeted a successful RBS Six Nations to keep him in
contention until the 2011 World Cup.
The Sale
star, who is being tipped to join up with Philippe
Saint-Andre at Toulon, also said he would play anywhere for
the national team if it aided his selection.
“My
rugby days are limited, I don’t have many left. I want to
play in the World Cup inn New Zealand so I need to prove
myself in all the matches from now until then,” said the
31-year-old.
“The
French national team is very important to me. I would say
even more today than before,” he added in an interview with
lesite.
Chabal
has recently been playing in the second row for Marc
Lièvremont’s France, although he is equally adept at number
eight. That has been his usual starting position at Sale,
however he has also been turning out at lock for the
Manchester side of late due to player injuries.
“I’ve
always been open,” he said. “When I was asked to play in the
second row I did it without complaints. There were debates
about whether the scrum would tire my legs but over the last
two years I’ve proved myself in the position.”
The
player they call “Caveman” has always been popular with fans
but was on the outside during last year’s Six Nations, a
decision he accepted with grace before redoubling his
efforts to win back his place.
“One is
always disappointed not to be selected, but I totally
understood the selectors’ point of view,” he said. “I
thought it was a very good idea to have a look at new
players to know who they could count on and which group they
could go to the World Cup. I knew that I would be recalled
if I put in good performances for my club.”
Chabal,
who has confirmed he will return to play in France next
season, said he was relishing the opportunity to strut his
stuff in this year’s Six Nations.
“It has
a special flavour to it,” he admitted. “We know each other a
bit more so there’s a bit more rivalry between the
countries. It’s not at all like other Tests. It’s a real
structured competition so you feel that there is more at
stake during the Six Nations than during tours.”
Chabal
is currently with the French national side for a three-day
training session in Paris. He has now been joined there by
Montpellier fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc, who was
called up just days after being overlooked for the original
30-strong squad.
Trinh-Duc, 22, has been added as cover for Florian Fritz,
the Toulouse centre who was injured in his club’s Heineken
Cup clash with Bath at the weekend.
The
Montpellier player is the second fly-half in the squad,
alongside Stade Francais’ Lionel Beauxis.
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